Consumer Alert: Ground Beef Recall

National Beef Packing Co. LLC, a Dodge City, Kan., establishment, is recalling approximately 60,424 pounds of ground beef products that may be adulterated with E. coli, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced Friday.

The products subject to recall include:

Ground beef chubs produced on July 23, 2011 with a Freeze by Date of August 12, 2011:

Boxes containing six 10-pound chubs of "National Beef 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck." These can be identified by the product code 483.

Boxes containing eight 5-pound chubs of "National Beef 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck." These can be identified by the product code 684.Boxes containing twelve 3-pound chubs of "National Beef 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck." These can be identified by the product code 782 or 785.

Boxes containing six 10-pound chubs of "National Beef 80/20 Fine Ground Chuck." These can be identified by the product code 787.

Ground beef chubs produced on July 25, 2011 with a Freeze by Date of August 14, 2011:

Boxes containing six 10-pound chubs of "National Beef 86/14 Fine Ground Round." These can be identified by the product code 494.

Each box and chub bears the establishment number "Est. 262" within the USDA mark of inspection. The products were shipped to distributors nationwide for further processing and/or distribution. It is important to note that the products listed above may have been repackaged into consumer-size packages and sold under different retail brand names. When available, the retail distribution list(s) will be posted on FSIS' website at www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/ <http://www.fsis.usda.gov/FSIS_Recalls/> Open_Federal_Cases/index.asp.

The problem was discovered as a result of routine microbial testing conducted by the Ohio Department of Agriculture at a state-inspected facility that had purchased these products for further processing. A trace back investigation revealed that the slaughter facility, National Beef Packing Co. products were the sole source for the positive product sample. FSIS and the company have received no reports of illnesses associated with consumption of these products. Individuals concerned about an illness should contact a physician.

FSIS routinely conducts recall effectiveness checks to verify recalling firms notify their customers of the recall and that steps are taken to make certain that the product is no longer available to consumers.

E. coli is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause bloody diarrhea, dehydration, and in the most severe cases, kidney failure. The very young, seniors and persons with weak immune systems are the most susceptible to food borne illness.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160° F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature.

Consumer and media with questions regarding the recall should contact the company's Vice President of Marketing, Keith Welty, at (816) 713-8631.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from l0 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day.